9 Bangladeshis named in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list

Time Digital Report: Forbes has announced the ninth edition of its '30 Under 30 Asia' list, highlighting 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators under the age of 30 who are driving change and innovation across the Asia-Pacific region. The honourees represent diverse fields, including arts, technology, media, finance, and more. This year, 9 individuals from Bangladesh have been recognised for their contributions across various industries.

Anusha Alamgir

Anusha Alamgir has been featured in the Arts category. Holding a master's degree in architecture from the Royal College of Art in London, Alamgir was the sole female Bangladeshi exhibitor at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition at the 2023 Venice Biennale. Her film 'Porda,' addressing Muslim veiling practices, gained significant attention. Alamgir's work spans sculpture, painting, photography, and performance, and she also founded the online thrift store Colors Dhaka.

Mehedi Shoron (HelloTask)

Mehedi Shoron, co-founder of HelloTask, has been recognised in the Consumer Technology category. HelloTask is an app that offers hourly bookings, monthly subscriptions, and safety features for domestic maids. The company has secured funding from investors and grants from the World Bank and Oxfam. HelloTask aims to expand its workforce to 100,000 maids by 2025 and explore international markets.

Redwan Ahmed

Redwan Ahmed, an award-winning freelance journalist, has been listed in the Media, Marketing & Advertising category. His notable work includes coverage of the Rohingya crisis and investigations into the exploitation of garment factory workers. Ahmed co-founded the Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media, an organisation dedicated to protecting local journalists.

MD Shahidul Islam, Abdul Gaffar Sadi, and MD Tushar (Drutoloan)

Drutoloan, co-founded by MD Shahidul Islam, Abdul Gaffar Sadi, and MD Tushar, has been featured in the Finance & Venture Capital category. The Dhaka-based startup assists micro and small businesses in obtaining loans by simplifying paperwork and assessing creditworthiness. Since its establishment in 2019, Drutoloan has disbursed over $2 million in loans and raised $125,000 in pre-seed funding.

Sultan Moni, Mumtahina Anika (Zatiq)

Sultan Moni and Mumtahina Anika, co-founders of Zatiq, have been recognised in the Finance & Venture Capital category. Zatiq provides software and hardware solutions to help small companies manage accounting. The company also offers tools for small businesses to create e-commerce websites. In August, Zatiq raised $1.6 million in pre-seed funding.

Fahad Ahmed (Wind.App)

Fahad Ahmed, co-founder of Wind.App, has been honoured in the Finance & Venture Capital category. Wind.App uses blockchain technology and stablecoins to facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border remittances. The startup secured $3.8 million in pre-seed funding. Prior to Wind, Ahmed was part of the founding team at Pathao, where he launched various services.